Silent Carol
by Mewsol
Summary: For street urchin Feliciano Vargas, it seems Christmas will be miserable again. One day, he meets a kind stranger, Ludwig Beilschmidt, who brings hope to the Italian- and strange feelings he's never felt before... AU, GerIta, collab with Wurstislife
1. His Miracle

**_Summary: _**_For street urchin Feliciano Vargas, it seems Christmas for him will be the same as usual. By some stroke of fate, Feliciano stumbles upon a kind stranger, Ludwig Beilschmidt, who delivers a miracle to the Italian's life- and strange feelings he's never felt before..._

**_Pairing: _**_Ludwig x Feliciano (Germany x N. Italy, AU)_

* * *

><p>It was the middle of December in Florence, Italy. Stores were decorated with beautiful wreaths and holly, and people were rushing through the streets to get their Christmas shopping finished.<p>

Standing in the center of the Piazza Santa Croce was a young man, Feliciano Vargas. He wore a ragged brown coat, and his auburn hair complimented his bright auburn eyes. Feliciano had a strange curl on the side of his head, which was starting to shrivel up from the chilly breeze. Holding out his felt hat as a slight blush filled his cheeks, he began to sing in the most angelic, blissful voice to reach the shoppers' ears. A crowd of people began to gather around Feliciano as he sang:

_"Astro del ciel, Pargol divin, _  
><em>mite Agnello Redentor~<em>  
><em>Tu che i Vati da lungi sognar, <em>  
><em>tu che angeliche voci nunziar, <em>  
><em>luce dona alle genti, <em>  
><em>pace infondi nei cuor~"<em>

He continued singing, some of the shoppers dropping their extra change into Feliciano's hat. "Buone feste~" he called out to the shoppers after he finished the song, glad that they enjoyed his singing. Feliciano counted the change in his hat and discovered he had nearly enough euros to buy a bread roll. He walked amongst the crowd, hoping he could find someone with a little extra change.  
>Feliciano slowly and carefully walked up to a taller blonde man with slicked back hair. "Potrei avere dei soldi per favore?" he asked, holding out his hat.<p>

Ludwig had been traveling through for business and to gather a few Christmas gifts. He disliked the stress that came with preparing for the holiday, but enjoyed it when he finally got to see his brother and friends getting together, even if it eventually ended up in a small brawl outside in the end.

When he heard a voice from behind, he turned around to a smaller, auburn haired man. He didn't know much Italian, but by guessing how the man was dressed and that he was holding out a hat, he could guess what he was asking.

Ludwig reached into his pocket and pulled out his left over money from his shopping, quickly counting what he had left over plus what he had set aside to get petrol for his way home. He dropped the leftover change, enough to get a drink as well as a little extra.

"Vergeunden Sie nicht es," he mumbled before walking towards a parked Volkswagen. He stopped and turned back.  
>"Oi," he turned back, only a couple steps away. "Buone feste," he added on, in rough Italian.<p>

A wide smile formed on Feliciano's face as the change clinked inside his felt hat. He dropped the change inside his pocket, before hugging Ludwig in thanks. "Grazie mille!" he cried out. "Oh, I must repay you somehow! I'm going to buy a bread roll right now, mind if I share it with you?" he asked. Feliciano needed the food, but it was the holiday season, so he felt the need to be generous to his donor.

Ludwig was a bit surprised by the hug. "Ah.. Nein, it's okay. I know you need the food." He tried to sound sincere. He didn't want to take anything from him because of how bad the economy has been. "I am just glad that you can now eat."

Feliciano nodded in agreement. "W-well can I have your name, at least? I really really want to give you something in return, even if it's not food. I could give you my scarf, my hat, or..." his voice faded away as he looked down at a locket he wore around his neck. He opened the locket to reveal a picture of his grandfather on one side, and his brother on the other side.

"...n-never mind. Just my hat or my scarf.~ Or is there anything else you want...?" he asked.

Ludwig chuckled and shook his head.  
>"My name is Ludwig Beilschmidt, and you don't have to do anything in return. Think of it as an early Christmas gift to you," he smiled a little at the smaller male.<br>He pondered a moment before asking, "Are you out of work..." Ludwig trailed off a bit. "I'm sorry may I ask your name?"

"I'm Feliciano Vargas," the Italian explained. "I've never been able to get a job because of my health, all I can do is sing and draw. My parents abandoned me a long time ago, when I was really little. I don't even remember what my parents looked like... all I have is this locket," Feliciano told Ludwig, opening the locket to show the photos inside. "The one on the left is my nonno, and the one on the right is my fratello." He stopped talking, closing the locket and gazing at Ludwig for a moment. "I really do think you deserve some sort of present, you have a good heart. And that's the most important thing~" he remarked.

Ludwig listened to Feliciano's story.  
><em>With these talents, I'm surprised no one has tried to help him more than just loose change...<em> he thought to himself. He snapped back to reality with Feliciano's final statement.  
>"It's okay really," he stated once more. He may have had a good heart, but a couple years ago he might have looked down on Feliciano and walk away with giving nothing. Ludwig right now was more or less repenting for his previous actions.<br>"If you feel the need to repay me that bad, why don't you just work for me back at my place? I will give you a place to sleep and some food for you to eat, all you need to do is keep the place clean and try to find a steady job," he offered. It was going to just get colder for the next few week, and even though it may have been even colder where he was compared to his current location, he could at least offer a warm place to stay.

"Oh, that would be wonderful~!" Feliciano cried out with utmost joy. "I can't thank you enough!" He gave Ludwig another tight hug, letting go shortly afterwards. "No one's ever been this nice to me before. You're someone exceptionally kind, to give me money and even take me in..." he sighed happily, before observing Ludwig for a moment. Feliciano looked into Ludwig's bright blue eyes, and began to see something in the German that he had never seen in anyone else before. A strange feeling rushed through Feliciano's head as a blush formed on his cheeks, a feeling that was very new to him.

"Ah... n-never mind. I-it's nothing, I'm just not used to t-this kindness,~" he said awkwardly, placing his hands over his cheeks to hide the blush and wondering why his heart was racing at such a high speed. "R-really... g-grazie, for helping me, it means a lot~"

Ludwig noticed the Italian's blush, but shoved it off as him being so excited.  
>"Bitte schon, now why don't you get yourself something to eat while I load what I have into the car. I shall meet you back here, okay?" he said.<p>

"Va bene! Don't worry, I won't get lost! I've lived here all my life, I know Firenze like the back of my head~! I'll be back in a moment~" Feliciano said cheerfully, skipping over to the bakery a few blocks away from the plaza. The smell of fresh bread was so inviting to Feliciano, so much so that he decided to spend a few moments in the store taking in the smells. The bakery owner was much annoyed at Feliciano's behavior. "You just think you can come in here and sniff up a storm like a dog, urchin!" he yelled.

"Ah-! But your food is so wonderful.~ I would like to buy a bread roll, per favore~" Feliciano asked kindly, walking up to the counter with his coins. The owner reluctantly handed over a paper-wrapped bread roll, scowling and huffing over having to deal with Feliciano.

As Feliciano walked out of the store with the roll, back towards the Piazza, he saw Ludwig again near the center. He found a blush forming on his face again, but he didn't know why. Feliciano decided to eat some of his roll while walking towards Ludwig, in order to forget about the fluttery feeling in his stomach. He focused instead, on how wonderful it was to finally eat again, something he hadn't experienced in weeks. Finishing the last of his roll as he stood by Ludwig, he felt the blush return to his face, trying to ignore it. "Okay~ Are you ready yet,_ L-Ludwig~?_" Feliciano loved hearing that name, even having a small desire to say the German's name over and over again because of how lovely it was.

Ludwig stood at the meeting spot after he had placed his purchases in the trunk. When Feliciano got back, he nodded.  
>"Are you ready to go now?"<p>

"Si~ I'm ready," Feliciano replied. "Oh, I'm so excited~! I can't wait to stay in a real house, with a real bed and delicious food~! And I can finally have a job~!" he remarked, smiling brightly before giving Ludwig another hug. "You're the most wonderful person I've ever met..." Feliciano told Ludwig, blushing a bit.

"Ah-! I-I'm sorry-! It must have slipped out..." He suddenly let go and backed away slightly, worried what Ludwig would think of his statement.

Ludwig froze a bit when hugged. He wasn't used to being hugged in public, let alone at all.  
>"W-well, I guess it is a bit hard to get help right now.." he said nervously. A cold chill blew through the area, causing Ludwig to shiver slightly.<br>"Why don't we get in the car now? I think there is a chance for ice this evening.." he looked at Feliciano and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Ah-! Ice...! R-really-? W-we should go right away-!" Feliciano hopped right in the car, looking at the interior. He had only seen cars drive by, never had he been in one before. All of this was entirely new to him, and so very exciting! The Italian turned his head to the seatbelt next to him, wondering exactly what it was for. He had heard enough about car crashes to understand that it was necessary for him to wear it. He pulled the seatbelt over his body and heard a satisfying click.

Looking around a bit more, he noticed a panel with many buttons and knobs on it. He wondered what all the buttons did and what they were for, thinking he would ask Ludwig about it. But he realized Ludwig might get annoyed with all the questions, and decided not to ask. _Ludwig,_ that name sounded so wonderful in his head. He was having those strange thoughts again, and didn't know why he had them or where they were coming from.

_Should I tell Ludwig about that?_

_I wonder if he likes me._

_I hope I'll be able to stay with him... forever..._

Feliciano began drifting off again, just letting the thoughts about Ludwig pass into his mind instead of pushing them away.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Notes: <em>**

****_EDIT 1/8/12: Fixed German grammatical error- changed "Willkommen" to "bitte schon" (grazie, iholic!)_

**_Translations_**

The song is "Astro Del Ciel", the Italian version of "Silent Night"

Buone feste= "Happy Holidays" (ITALIAN)

Potrei avere dei soldi per favore?= "Can I have some money?" (ITALIAN)

Vergeunden Sie nicht es= "Do not waste it" (GERMAN)

Grazie mille= "Thank you very much" (ITALIAN)

Nein= "no" (GERMAN)

nonno= "grandfather" (ITALIAN)

fratello= "brother" (ITALIAN)

Bitte schon= "you're welcome" (GERMAN)

Va bene= "got it" (ITALIAN)

per favore= "please" (ITALIAN)


	2. Strange thoughts

**_Summary: _**_For street urchin Feliciano Vargas, it seems Christmas for him will be the same as usual. By some stroke of fate, Feliciano stumbles upon a kind stranger, Ludwig Beilschmidt, who delivers a miracle to the Italian's life- and strange feelings he's never felt before..._

**_Pairing: _**_Ludwig x Feliciano (Germany x N. Italy, AU)_

* * *

><p>Ludwig also got in the car and buckled himself in. He watched the Italian look around in the car, waiting for him to calm down. Once he did, Ludwig started the car and let it warm up a bit before driving off.<p>

The roads were clear that night, many people avoiding the snowy conditions. Ludwig kept a steady and reasonable speed up the highway. Once he was comfortable, he glanced over to Feliciano a moment before turning his eyes back to the road.

"So, Feliciano, have you ever traveled outside Italy?" he asked.

"Nope... Since I'm poor... I've never been able to travel anywhere... not even outside Firenze..." Feliciano explained sadly. "I like my home though, it has a lot of pretty churches~" he remarked. "I always go to the cathedral every day to pray for a miracle to happen... they say you can't ask God for miracles, but..." Feliciano's voice faded away as he tilted his head down in deep thought.

Ludwig nodded a little as he watched the road, driving around the cars that had swerved out of control on the snow.

_W-what should I say...! L-Ludwig is my miracle. But that would be too embarrassing to say out loud... uwaaah! I don't know what to do-!_ Feliciano thought, his face nearly as red as a tomato. Feliciano didn't want to make Ludwig feel uncomfortable, especially while driving, but he wanted to get his thoughts out so they wouldn't stay inside. But he didn't know how.

"U-um... Ludwig..." he stuttered, attempting to express his thoughts. "...y-you've helped me so much already. And I'm happier than I've ever been... y-you're my miracle..."

Ludwig's grip tightened on the steering wheel and blushed slightly.

"I-It's no big deal, I couldn't leave you there all alone," he said as evenly as he could.

"I can't thank you enough for what you've done already..." Feliciano told Ludwig, looking down at his locket. "R-resta sempre con me, per favore..." Feliciano whispered, blushing lightly, a tear forming in the corner of his eye. "I-I need you more than anything..."

Ludwig slowed down a bit more as the storm picked up and they were getting off the highway.  
>Ludwig didn't really hear what Feliciano said. The car fish-tailed rather violently as they turned onto his street. He was able to regain control and drift into his driveway. He turned the car off and sighed a bit as he pulled the key out of the ignition. "I'm sorry, did you say something earlier? The car's reaction to the turn caught me off guard.." he looked at Feliciano.<p>

"Ve~ it's okay, Ludwig.~ A-and I didn't really say anything important..." Feliciano told the German, blushing heavily. "...n-nothing that you needed to hear~!" he added, trying to cover up the blush on his face. "N-now l-let's go i-inside... o-okay?" he suggested, stuttering and turning his head away from Ludwig, too nervous to say anything else.

Ludwig nodded and got out of the car. After grabbing some of the things from the boot, he walked up to the door and opened it up.

Once unlocked he turned to Feliciano, "If you could just wait on the couch for a little bit, I will set up the guest room for you."

"G-got it-!" Feliciano replied nervously, walking inside Ludwig's house. _Wow-! So this is what a real house looks like~!_ Feliciano remarked to himself, gazing around the room, his eyes drifting to the various pieces of furniture. He laid down on the couch nearby, the first time he ever relaxed on something so comfortable. Resting his head on the soft, fluffy pillow, his mind drifted off again to thoughts of Ludwig. Feliciano tried shaking them off, but it didn't work. _I-It won't matter anyway.~ A-as long as L-Ludwig doesn't notice... he can't tell that I'm having these thoughts about him... __I want to be with Ludwig this Christmas, and every Christmas after that..._

Ludwig placed his purchases upstairs and grabbed the rest from his car. He locked the car and went back upstairs.

It was rather quiet upstairs, then suddenly a bark came from upstairs followed by paws running down the stairs. A small German Shepherd pup scampered in front of the couch. Ludwig was upstairs still straightening up the guest room.

Feliciano was waiting for Ludwig to come back downstairs. Even though he was too afraid to tell the German about his strange thoughts, he still enjoyed the other's company. Ludwig's presence sparked a light in Feliciano's heart.

Feliciano was struck with a dilemma a few moments later. _Maybe I should tell Ludwig how I feel about him, even though I'll probably make him feel uncomfortable... besides, if he sees me worrying too much about it then he'll worry too... ahhh! I can't decide what to do! S-should I tell him? I don't know-!_ All of the turmoil was building up in his mind as tears started falling from his eyes. He squirmed and shuddered on the couch, hoping that Ludwig wouldn't come down and see him in his current state.

The pup that had scampered down earlier propped it's front paws up on the couch and licked the Italian's salty tears. It whimpered to Feliciano, curious.

When Ludwig finished, he made his way downstairs. When he noticed Feliciano laying on the sofa, he stopped. "Feliciano, are... are you okay?" A slight hint of worry was in his voice.

"Uwaaah!" Feliciano shyly turned away, wiping his tears. "N-n-nothing's wrong, _L-Ludwig!_ Everything's perfectly okay~!" he added as he tried to hide his blush. Feliciano was still debating whether or not to tell Ludwig about his strange thoughts. After a while, he determined it was best to tell Ludwig about it. Feliciano knew if he did, then he would find out exactly what he was feeling.

"A-actually... Ludwig... I've been having some strange thoughts since... before we left Firenze..." Feliciano admitted, his head still turned away from Ludwig. "I don't know what any of it means... I've never felt like this before..."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Translations<em>**

Resta sempre con me, per favore= "Stay with me, please" (ITALIAN)

**_Author's notes:_**

****No, Feli is NOT having sexual thoughts, don't ask. Feliciano is in love with Ludwig, but he's not aware of it because he's never felt anything like it before. I felt I could give him a different personality, since he hasn't experienced love before.


	3. Heart song

**_Summary: _**_For street urchin Feliciano Vargas, it seems Christmas for him will be the same as usual. By some stroke of fate, Feliciano stumbles upon a kind stranger, Ludwig Beilschmidt, who delivers a miracle to the Italian's life- and strange feelings he's never felt before..._

**_Pairing: _**_Ludwig x Feliciano (Germany x N. Italy, AU)_

* * *

><p>Ludwig walked over to the Italian and crouched down next to the sofa.<br>_Everything is not perfectly okay with that reaction,_ he thought to himself.

"I can do my best to try and help you if you would like, I am not sure if I can though," he said. "If you would like to figure them out first on your own, though it's okay." Ludwig usually found the second a bit more helpful when he had some emotional troubles. He found it easier to step back and think.

"These feelings are hard to describe... whenever I'm around you, my heart races, and I start getting strange thoughts about you," Feliciano explained. "Sometimes I want to ask you to hold me, or cuddle with me... or press your lips against mine..." he admitted, sweating madly and blushing heavily.  
>"I don't know why I'm feeling this way... I know they're my personal thoughts, but I thought you might be able to help me make sense of it all."<p>

Ludwig blushed a little and covered his mouth with his hand. He had to ponder this a bit. He just met the Italian, and already Feliciano was basically saying he was in love with him.

"...g-going by what you are saying, you..." he closed his eyes a minute to calm down. "You seem.. to have fallen in love with me..." he opened his eyes and looked at Feliciano.

Ludwig had to admit the Italian was rather... cute in the way he acted and how he responded to helping him.

Feliciano's eyes opened wide in surprise. "L-love...?" he asked nervously, his face becoming even redder. "I-is that what it feels like...?" he asked nervously, as his strange hair curl on the side of his head formed into a heart.

"I-I may be wrong," Ludwig said to try to calm Feliciano down, "I am not to familiar with the subject personally.."

"I-I'm sorry... f-for causing you so much trouble..." Feliciano said, tears quickly forming in his eyes. "Y-you should probably j-just send me b-back to where I came from... I-I'll only worry you more...!" he added, on the brink of tears, hiding his red face from Ludwig in shame and embarrassment.

When Ludwig noticed Feliciano's emotional state, he moved to sit next to Feliciano. Ludwig hugged the smaller Italian, not sure whether this would aid or worsen the situation, and said softly, "It is too late to take you back. Besides, after meeting you I couldn't let you freeze to death."

Feliciano's cries were reduced to mere sniffles as he felt Ludwig's warm embrace. "E-even if... I-I'm...in love with you... y-you don't mind...?" he asked nervously.

Ludwig kept the Italian close. "Nein, I'm okay with it. Just make sure that you won't be distracted with your tasks."

Feliciano's lips quickly curved into a smile. "D-don't worry-! I'll try my best, Ludwig- I mean sir~!" he declared obediently.  
>"I just want to ask one thing, though..." he told Ludwig honestly, looking up at the German with innocent eyes. "Will I still be able to sing...? I want to sing for you..." he asked, a hint of worry in his voice.<p>

"You can still sing. I never said you couldn't," Ludwig said calmly. "I was hoping you still would, your singing is very beautiful." He smiled a little shyly.

Feliciano hugged Ludwig tightly, happy he could still sing. "Oh, Ludwig~! Grazie~! Can I sing something for you now~? Per favore~?" he requested. "I have something very important to tell you.~"

Ludwig jumped a bit and nodded. "Uh, sure. I guess, but afterwards I would like you to get some rest. I'm sure you are tired."

"Vee~! I've got a wonderful song for you~!" Feliciano said cheerfully, before breathing in gently and beginning to sing in his angelic, clear, soothing voice.

_"The lovely lights are glowing bright_  
><em>Upon the Christmas tree.~<em>  
><em>But it doesn't mean anything<em>  
><em>Unless you're next to me...<em>  
><em>In the cold, harsh winter wind<em>  
><em>You hear the church bells ring.~<em>  
><em>And when I see your smiling face<em>  
><em>My heart begins to sing..."<em>

Feliciano took a soft breath, as he moved into the chorus of the song, singing with more energy this time.  
>Ludwig closed his eyes when Feliciano started singing. He took in each note carefully, nodding a little to the tune.<p>

_"You are my Christmas spirit_  
><em>You're my star atop the tree,~<em>  
><em>You're everything I've ever wanted<em>  
><em>And all I want to be~.<em>  
><em>You are my Christmas spirit<em>  
><em>The gift wrap torn apart...<em>  
><em>And even when you're not with me<em>  
><em>You will stay in my heart~..."<em>

He took a pause, before ending the song with a much softer and gentle voice.

_"You are my Christmas spirit_  
><em>The gift wrap torn apart...~<em>  
><em>And even when you're not with me<em>  
><em>You will stay in my heart,~<em>

_Stay with me... in my heart..."_

When the song ended Ludwig opened his eyes.  
>"That was beautiful, Feliciano," he said softly, "but now you should go to sleep. Why don't you go upstairs and take a shower and go to bed. I set out some pajamas for you on the bed."<p>

Feliciano stared at Ludwig with a confused look. He had never experienced the amenities of living in a real house before, so all of this was fairly new to him.

"S-so I go in the shower and... wash the dirt off... right...?" he asked, confirming his limited knowledge. "A-and what are pajamas for...~? S-sorry for asking so many questions...!"

Ludwig smiled a bit and just went along with it.

"Ja, you use the shower to clean yourself off," he said, "and pajamas are just a change of clothes to sleep in. They tend to be more comfortable than everyday clothes. Now don't be afraid to ask questions. I'm sure you are unsure about many things in here. Now, would you like me to show you where everything is?"

"T-that would be wonderful~! G-grazie-!" Feliciano exclaimed, jumping up and down excitedly before tightly hugging Ludwig. "Oh, this day couldn't possibly get any better~!"

Ludwig chuckled and led him around, showing where the kitchen, his room, the bathroom, his office, and where Feliciano's room is; leaving one room untouched.  
>Feliciano's room was a little cluttered around the edges, obviously having become a storage room over a bit of time, but has enough space for a person to move about in.<p>

"If you have any problems that cannot wait until morning, you can come in and wake me up. By the morning, I will most likely be downstairs in the kitchen or in my office," he said.  
>"Any questions?" he asked.<p>

Feliciano thought for a moment. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but he knew all of them would make Ludwig uncomfortable. Embarrassing questions like _"Can I sleep with you"_ or _"Can you cuddle with me"_ would really make the situation awkward. No matter how much he wanted to cuddle up with Ludwig that night, he knew he'd never be allowed the chance.

"Erm... no. I-I don't have any questions. N-nothing really embarrassing or anything..." he added, to try and cover for the huge blush forming on his face. "I'll just go get ready now~" he said cheerfully, skipping off to the shower. Luckily, he figured out how to use that without asking any questions. After finishing in the shower, Feliciano changed into the pajamas set out for him. Since he was a bit thin and frail, the clothing was a bit loose on him, but it still managed to fit. He climbed into bed with a smile, saying a small prayer of thanks before falling asleep.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>_ Why yes, I wrote the song myself. *smiles proudly* Sorry if it's too cheezy. I didn't spend that much time on writing it.


	4. Midnight confession

**_Summary: _**_For street urchin Feliciano Vargas, it seems Christmas for him will be the same as usual. By some stroke of fate, Feliciano stumbles upon a kind stranger, Ludwig Beilschmidt, who delivers a miracle to the Italian's life- and strange feelings he's never felt before..._

**_Pairing: _**_Ludwig x Feliciano (Germany x N. Italy, AU)_

* * *

><p>"Alright. Sleep well then," Ludwig said before Feliciano skipped off.<p>

Ludwig hung around upstairs, changing into his own pajamas and got ready for bed in the master bathroom attached to his room. He pulled out the latest book he was reading, a large, thick, black covered book. He opened up to where he left off, put on his reading glasses and immersed himself in his reading.

_Feliciano opened his eyes, finding he was surrounded by nothing but darkness and snow. As he looked around him in the seemingly endless blizzard, he noticed a forest of looming trees encircling him. He was in his pajamas, but it was clearly not enough to keep him warm. Feliciano tried rubbing his hands together to generate heat, but his efforts were in vain. He must have been left to freeze here by someone._

_Remembering the day's events... and his confession of love, he knew immediately who had left him here to freeze._

_Ludwig had left him here._

_Right after Feliciano found out what love felt like. Would anyone come and save him, anyone at all?_

_It was too late to pray to God now. He was nearly buried head to toe in snow, hail falling down on his head, icicles hanging from his hair and even his curl, which was nearly frozen._

_No use crying for help... but maybe..._

"Uwaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" Feliciano cried out in the middle of the night, having awoken from a nightmare. Panicking, he ran out of his room and into Ludwig's, crying and shuddering helplessly as he stood in the doorway.

Ludwig sat up, the air a bit cold due to the temperature outside, and turned on his light. It took him a minute to gather thoughts and have his eyes adjust.

He grunted a bit and looked at Feliciano, his earlier slicked back hair was falling in his face. "What is wrong?" he asked as he climbed out of bed and walked over to him.  
>Ludwig's clothes were a bit twisted around him from tossing and turning in his sleep, but he didn't bother straightening them.<p>

Feliciano quickly threw himself into Ludwig's arms, tightly clinging to him as if he was about to die. "D-don't leave meeeeee-! I-I'm sorry I'm in love with youuuu!" he cried, still thinking he was in the nightmare, tears streaming down his face like a waterfall.

Ludwig staggered back a little, caught off guard, and held the tired Italian close.

"I-It's okay, Feliciano, really," he said as he rubbed Feliciano's back. Ludwig honestly had no idea how he should respond, so he was trying his best.

"B-b-but you left me in the blizzard-" Feliciano stopped crying for a moment, looking around him and noticing he was inside Ludwig's house. "J-just... a nightmare...?" he asked himself out loud, before turning his head up to Ludwig.

"Ja, it was just a nightmare," Ludwig replied to reassure him.

"I-I know I'm in love with you... but I know you probably don't feel the same way..." he said, making a guess. "...maybe I should just give up on my love for you. It would save you the trouble..." he sadly added, tears forming in his eyes again.

When he noticed Feliciano was about to cry again, he held him close and spoke with a soft voice saying, "I may not share the same feelings as you do right now, Feliciano, but that doesn't mean I never will..."

Feliciano turned his head down slightly, smiling halfheartedly. "You don't need to worry about that anymore, Ludwig~. I'm giving up on that. It's better for the both of us..."

"Now, how can you say that? We only met just a few hours earlier," Ludwig said, not having any idea really as to what he was saying.

"I admit, you're rather cute.." he stated. It took him about 15 seconds to realize what he said. When he did he blushed and held his hand over his face to try and hide himself, closing his eyes and lowering his head slightly. "I-I'm sorry, I must still be partially asleep.."

Feliciano perked up a little, opening his eyes in surprise. Still, he kept his head turned down, as to not worry Ludwig. "Y-you didn't mean that, right? I'm sure you didn't..." he said, trying to assure himself it was just a slip-up. "I think I'll just go back to bed now..." he told Ludwig, starting to walk back to his room and hoping this would help the situation. "I won't bother you anymore..."

Ludwig sighed a bit as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Actually, I did mean it," he said softly his gaze averted to the floor to try and hide his blush, for he really did.

"If you would like, you can just stay in here for the rest of the night. I'm sure it's a bit cold alone in the guest room," he suggested, not totally sure if the other would like the offer or not.

Feliciano turned around in surprise. "No... don't force yourself... you don't have to do this, you know..." he explained, tears building up in his eyes again. He was trying to assure himself that Ludwig didn't mean it, yet he wanted it to be true. Secretly, Feliciano wanted Ludwig to prove himself, to show that he really _did_ mean what he said. The tears were slowly but surely revealing that desire.

"I'm not forcing myself, I do want to.." Ludwig replied.

He didn't know what came over him, but he took Feliciano's chin in his hand gently, lifting his head to meet his icy-blue gaze.  
>"Why must you think that I may not want you to be here?" he asked before kissing gently.<p>

Feliciano's eyes were open wide in shock. His blush was nearly covering his entire face as sweat dripped down his skin. He was too shocked to say anything; he never expected Ludwig to _actually_ kiss him. _"I-I-I don't know-"_ Feliciano muttered, almost inaudibly as his face was becoming even redder.

Suddenly, Feliciano fell over backwards, and fainted.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Notes:<em>** Awww~ Little Feli is so moe! Almost too moe... yeah... I'm glad this story is getting so many nice reviews, but my other stories are getting quite lonely, you know...?


	5. Hopelessly in love

**_Summary: _**_For street urchin Feliciano Vargas, it seems Christmas for him will be the same as usual. By some stroke of fate, Feliciano stumbles upon a kind stranger, Ludwig Beilschmidt, who delivers a miracle to the Italian's life- and strange feelings he's never felt before..._

**_Pairing: _**_Ludwig x Feliciano (Germany x N. Italy, AU)_

* * *

><p>Ludwig quickly caught Feliciano before he hit the ground and placed the Italian in his bed. <em>I.. didn't expect him to react like that...<em> he thought as he pulled the covers over him. Ludwig looked over at the clock. It was about 2 am Christmas Eve.

Feliciano's breathing returned to normal after a few minutes as he rolled in his bed and drifted off to sleep. Instead of a dream, various images passed through Feliciano's head- ones of him passionately kissing Ludwig under the mistletoe, cuddling up to him in front of a fireplace, and being held by him bridal-style. Feliciano didn't know what to think about these images. He loved Ludwig with all of his heart, but he was still not sure whether the German loved him back. After all, it was the middle of the night. Surely, it was a misunderstanding. At least that was what Feliciano tried to tell himself, but Ludwig's actions earlier prevented the Italian from fully believing his own words.

Ludwig watched over Feliciano for the rest of the time he was able to keep himself awake. He ended up falling asleep once Feliciano's breathing returned to normal.  
>Ludwig ended up thinking about what had all just happened, trying to figure out why he did what he did. He never really had a relationship before, other than with his family members, so he wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing. <em>Maybe I went a little too far?<em> he thought in his sleep.

For the next few hours, Feliciano continued to take in these images, constantly wondering if he would ever get to experience such romantic moments with Ludwig at all. Surrounded by his innermost desires, he tossed and turned while sleeping, hoping Ludwig shared the same feelings. He no longer was assuring himself it was all a mistake- he wanted to believe it was real.

Ludwig woke up at 6 sharp and noticed the unrestful pattern of Feliciano's sleep. He leaned over and stroked Feliciano's hair. _Are you okay...?_ he wondered.

Feliciano's eyes fluttered open, a blush forming on his face again. Seeing Ludwig's face renewed his motive to turn the images in his dream into reality. For the first time, Feliciano decided to take the initiative.

"I'm f-feeling much better, b-because you're here with me~," Feliciano told Ludwig nervously, trying to sound as affectionate and romantic as he could. "Can I have a good morning kiss, per favore~?"

"Ah, okay," Ludwig replied. He bent down and kissed Feliciano lightly good morning.

_It's just a good morning kiss, nothing special about it,_ Feliciano thought, blushing a little more. Now that he thought about it, he wanted a bit more from Ludwig, considering last night's dream.

Feliciano wanted to fix what happened last night, though. "Ludwig, about last night... I just wanted to tell you... you didn't overdo it..." he confessed. "What you did... was exactly what I wanted. It was because of my dream last night, after I had fainted..." he began explaining. "I dreamed of you and me sharing a passionate kiss together. And you and me cuddling by the fireplace. It was the best dream I ever had..."

Ludwig was about to respond when he suddenly heard the front door open and slam.  
>"Hold on, wait here please," he said before getting up and walking out of the room.<p>

All Feliciano could hear were the footsteps going down the stairs and Ludwig's faint voice mixing with that of a louder German's with an odd laugh.

The pup from before was having a hard time sleeping with the noise and crawled out from under the bed. After yawning and stretching, it noticed Feli's presence and barked happily.

Feliciano smiled and picked up the puppy, placing it in his lap. He gently massaging the pup under his chin, steadying his breathing, relaxing himself, and trying to ignore the voices downstairs.

The pup wagged her tail and kissed Feliciano's hand.

There was a laugh followed by two sets of footsteps.

"Osten! You are not meeting our guest until you sober up!" Ludwig ordered the other person.

"Alright, alright, Westen. Kesese~" the new voice replied.

Ludwig sighed and walked back in. "Sorry about that, my bruder decided to finally return home from last night it seems," he explained. "I honestly thought he got home while we were asleep.."

He then noticed Feliciano was holding the pup. "I see Blackie seems to like you," he smiled.

Feliciano giggled as the puppy licked his hand. "Veee~ I love dogs~. There's a lot of stray ones around Firenze," he said, his smile changing to a frown. "They can never find food... I've tried to help find them good homes, but no one would take them in..." he explained. "Every time I saw one of those stray dogs... it reminded me of my current state. No food... no home... no love..."

Feliciano tilted his head down sadly, his eyes looking up at Ludwig. "Every year... I looked at all the happy couples on Christmas. I wanted to feel that happiness too, but everyone just ignores me..."

"Well, this year is different then, huh?" he said. "This year you have someplace to stay and food."  
>Blackie then looked up at Feliciano and licked his cheek.<br>Ludwig chuckled, "and love too."

"Speaking of food, would you like to join me downstairs for breakfast?" he asked.

Feliciano perked up at Ludwig's mention of food. "Oh-! Si, si~! Of course~!" he exclaimed, tightly hugging Ludwig and grateful for finally eating a decent meal.  
>Right then, Feliciano thought again of last night. Surely, after what had happened, Ludwig wouldn't mind...<p>

"Uh, Ludwig~ can you carry me downstairs~? Can you hold me in your arms like the really happy couples do~?"

Ludwig chuckled and smiled at Feliciano.

He was slightly confused by the question, but nodded. "Sure, I guess I can do so as long as it doesn't become a habit," he said as he picked him up.

Ludwig carefully maneuvered through the house and down the stairs. He gently set Feliciano down.  
>"Would you like to help me make breakfast?"<p>

"I don't really know much about that... but I'll try and help~! Although you'll probably wind up helping me, ve~" Feliciano said cheerfully. "And don't worry about carrying me~. You won't have to do that all the time..." he told Ludwig, blushing a bit. He really wanted to express how much he wanted to get closer to Ludwig, but now wasn't the time.

"There's nothing to be nervous about," Ludwig stated, completely oblivious to the other's true feelings.

"How about we get started. We won't make anything too difficult."  
>Ludwig led him into the kitchen and got out a few things he needed: a mixing bowl, a spoon, a spatula, a skillet, a couple eggs, milk, pancake mix, vanilla extract, and a stick of butter.<br>He took the eggs, milk, pancake mix, and vanilla extract, following the instructions in the recipe, and placed them in the bowl.  
>"Alright. Do you think you can stir the ingredients together?" he asked, looking at Feliciano.<p>

_"I need you to cuddle me, hold me, kiss me..."_ all the things Feliciano wanted to say but couldn't. And what was wrong? Nothing, really. Feliciano just had a strong desire to get closer to Ludwig.

"Vee~ n-nothing's wrong~," he lied. Although it was a small lie that wouldn't do anything but hide Feliciano's true thoughts. "I'm just n-nervous about cooking~."

Ludwig felt that he should help Feliciano a bit with the stirring, he still wanted to be able to cook them. He stood behind Feliciano and placed his hands over top of the other's gently, guiding them as they stirred. "You have to remember to scrape the edge of the bowl, or the batter may not be that good," he said softly into the Italian's ear.

Feliciano's eyes opened wide as a bright red blush formed on his face again. His heart began racing as Ludwig held his hands. The Italian smiled, the lovely sound of Ludwig's voice reaching his ears. He couldn't focus on the stirring anymore, for he was too mesmerized by Ludwig's presence.

Ludwig continued to help Feliciano stir until the batter seemed ready. He noticed how soft and fragile Feliciano's hands seemed to be in his own rough hard worked hands.

He then let Feliciano go so he could prepare the pan to cook the pancakes on.  
>"Do you think you can help flip the pancakes?" he asked.<p>

"I-I'm not sure. Maybe if you hold my hands again then I can try," Feliciano suggested. "Y-you can do that, right? I-I like it when you hold my hands~" he told Ludwig, before suddenly realizing what he had just said. "Uh... b-because when you hold my hands it really helps me cook! Si, that's it~."

Ludwig had a slight bit of blush forming on his cheeks from Feliciano's statement.  
>"Alright," he said, "if you think it will help."<p>

Ludwig got out a plate to put the finished pancakes on before helping Feliciano pour out the batter for the first pancake, guiding the Italian's smaller hands with his own. After the one side was cooked, he helped Feliciano flip it to cook the other side.

The smell of sweet pancakes wafted through the house as more pancakes were made. The two made enough for each other and another person.

Ludwig's older brother smelled the sweet breakfast and made his way downstairs. When he saw Ludwig help Feliciano cook the final pancake he chuckled.  
>"Kesese~ Oi, Westen, are we training him to be a good house wife?" he teased.<p>

Ludwig closed his eyes out of irritation and sighed, letting go of Feliciano, before turning to his brother. "Just sit down and wait for your food," he snapped back.

Feliciano sat down at the table, waiting paitiently for the food and thinking about Ludwig again. The Italian couldn't keep Ludwig out of his mind, it was impossible for him. He continued to think about last night, and how he ruined a possible romantic moment with Ludwig. Wondering how he should ask Ludwig about it, he continued to wait for his first real breakfast to be served.

Ludwig placed a couple pancakes on everyone's plates and served them. He then placed a bottle of syrup in the middle for anyone who wanted it before going to make coffee.

"Feliciano, I am making coffee for bruder and me, do you want some or would you prefer milk or water?" he asked.

Ludwig's brother watched Feliciano, trying to pick out what was going on in his mind.

"Water would be nice~" Feliciano answered, before taking a bite of his first pancake and dipping it in syrup. The sweet taste of the pancake nearly overwhelmed him, having never tasted anything like it. The sweet taste reminded him of Ludwig, and his kindness. Come to think of it, all of these new things he was experiencing reminded him of Ludwig.

Ludwig turned his back as he fixed the drinks and waited for the coffee maker to go.

The brother leaned his head in his hand and looked at Feliciano.  
>"You like mein bruder, don't you?" he asked quietly enough so only Feliciano could hear him.<p>

Feliciano snapped out of his thoughts as soon as he heard the other's question. His face instantly turned red. "Uh... m-maybe I do... h-how could you tell...?"

The brother chuckled. "It's written all over your face, that's why."  
>He took a bite of his pancake. "By the way, I'm Gilbert."<p>

Ludwig came back with the drinks and placed them down. He looked at Feliciano and asked, "Are you okay, Feli?"

Feliciano's face turned even redder as sweat dripped down his face. "A-ahhh... n-nothing's wrong~. I-I'm alright, don't worry!" he assured Ludwig, taking a sip of water from his glass and trying to focus on the fresh-tasting water instead of Ludwig. The water is far more important, he decided, considering he hadn't had water like this since 2 weeks ago.

"...okay," Ludwig replied.  
>He wasn't sure if Feliciano was telling the truth or not.<p>

Gilbert snickered a bit, only to get a glare from his brother, then returned to eating his breakfast.

Feliciano was still having difficulty keeping the thoughts out of his head, and it was evident all over his face. He tried hiding the blush by eating his pancakes, but it wasn't working at all.

Ludwig continued to eat his breakfast quietly.

Gilbert on the other hand was observing the two, thinking of how to get Ludwig to open up to Feliciano.

Romantic thoughts continued to pile up in Feliciano's head until he couldn't take it anymore. He immediately ran out of the room in tears, making his way to his room before hiding under the covers and crying into his pillow. His cries could be heard throughout the house, even though they were muffled by the pillow.

Ludwig jumped a bit when Feliciano ran out of the room. "Should I make sure he is okay?" he asked Gilbert.

"Ja, you dummkoff!" Gilbert replied.

Ludwig got up and nodded to his brother, following Feliciano upstairs. He knocked on the door and asked, "Feliciano, is there something bothering you?"

Feliciano shuddered and stopped crying for just a moment when he heard the knock on the door, but not wanting to say the reason _why_ he was crying. It would make everything even more embarrassing, that was for sure. He resumed crying into his pillow, hiding the truth under a flurry of tears.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Notes: <em>**

****Sorry for the long chapter and late update. There will be more soon!

**_Translations_**

dummkoff= "idiot" (GERMAN)


	6. All dressed up

**_Summary: _**_For street urchin Feliciano Vargas, it seems Christmas for him will be the same as usual. By some stroke of fate, Feliciano stumbles upon a kind stranger, Ludwig Beilschmidt, who delivers a miracle to the Italian's life- and strange feelings he's never felt before..._

**_Pairing: _**_Ludwig x Feliciano (Germany x N. Italy, AU)_

* * *

><p>"Feliciano. Do you want me to leave you alone?" Ludwig asked, confused.<p>

After Gilbert cleaned up the dishes and went upstairs to clean himself up, he motioned to hint Ludwig to let himself in to comfort Feliciano. Ludwig shook his head, waiting for Feliciano to respond.

Feliciano's crying softened a little bit once he heard Ludwig's voice. It was very comforting to him, which was why he liked hearing it.

He managed to let out a few words, which could barely be heard through the closed door. "Y-you can c-come in..." he said quietly, nearly whispering.

"Okay," Ludwig said before entering. He closed the door behind them to keep his brother at bay and stood at the entrance of the room. "Did I do something to upset you, Feliciano?"

"Vee... you didn't do anything wrong. It's just..." Feliciano paused, too afraid to admit the truth. But admitting the truth got him closer to Ludwig yesterday, so he thought it might not hurt to try.

"...I-I'm still in love with you. And it's starting to take over my mind... every second of the day, I find myself thinking about you. I try to push out the thoughts, but it never works, not anymore..." he admitted shamefully. "...but these thoughts mean nothing, because I know you don't share the same feelings as I do. And I feel a bit regretful for what happened last night, because I missed out on a chance to get closer to you because of my clumsiness..." he confessed, hiding his head under the covers again. "Y-you can leave me now. I-I'm okay being alone..." he lied, just to try and make Ludwig feel better. "...you don't have to worry anymore because you don't have some strange street urchin following you around, madly in love with you."

Ludwig may be a bit oblivious when it came to love, but he could tell when Feliciano lied.

"He may not be following me around anymore, but he is now living under my roof," he said as he pulled the covers back from Feliciano. "So I indeed do have a right to worry," he smiled a bit and lifted Feliciano's head as he wiped the tears away gently.

Feliciano was a bit glad Ludwig didn't believe the lie. And the closeness was even more assuring. He just had to keep telling himself to not screw up this opportunity. Maybe even get a truthful confession out of Ludwig.

"B-but doesn't it bother you at all that I'm in love with you? And thinking about you almost every second of the day?" he asked Ludwig nervously.

"Nein, it does not," Ludwig said, a bit bluntly. "But why do you have such a hard time just trying to talk to me?"

Gilbert was leaning against the wall in his bedroom trying to hear what they were saying. _Oh... Westen, why are you so blind..._ he thought as he held his face in his hand. _Just admit it already!_

Feliciano turned his head away sadly. "It's because every moment I'm with you... all I ever think about is loving you. And those thoughts hurt me because I know you don't love me back," he explained. "Imagine, discovering what love feels like for the first time... and then finding it's forbidden." Feliciano wondered why he was admitting all of this, but decided to continue revealing his true feelings. After all, lying would only hurt him more than he already was.

Ludwig tried to wrap his brain around the thought, but was having a hard time figuring it out. He didn't have many relationships as he was growing up since he always worked hard.

He eventually was able to guess and lowered his head with a sigh.  
>"If it is this hard for you to cope with, then why don't you just let me get to know more about yourself?" he asked.<br>"I admitted to you last night I already thought you were cute..." he said softly, lowering his head a bit to hide a blush, "so why don't you try harder to see if I will like you more?"

"Y-you know what..." Feliciano began, "...it's not worth it. If you really don't love me back... then we'll just leave it at that, okay?" he said, smiling a fake smile, which was meant to comfort the other. "I'll leave you alone. I won't bother you about this anymore..."

Ludwig looked at Feliciano and nodded, "If that is what you wish to do."

He then got up and started walking to his room to change, but stopped a moment to tell Feliciano, "I have to run into work real quick to finish up some paperwork, if you need anything talk to mein bruder, Gilbert, and when I get back we can go somewhere if you wish."

"Oh! Ludwig! Can we go caroling~?" Feliciano asked energetically, gently tugging Ludwig's arm. "But this time, I'll be dressed in really nice clothes so nobody will ignore me~!"

Ludwig smiled a bit and nodded. "Sure. You can look through the dressers in here to see if anything will fit."

He pulled his arm away and got ready to go into work.

After Ludwig left, Gilbert came out of his room shaking his head. "Ahh, bruder, why are you so blind to your own feelings?"

Feliciano checked the many dresser drawers, admiring all the various pieces of clothing. He took out a plain red sweater, a pair of black pants, and a pair of boxers. He also grabbed a belt from another drawer, just in case. Feliciano quickly grabbed the clothes and ran into the bathroom to change, finding the clothes fit him nicely. He didn't even need to use the belt, which was a surprise.

He ran out of the bathroom, shouting happily. "Gilbert~! Look at my new fancy clothes~!"

Gilbert looked at Feliciano and chuckled, seeing the Italian in a mix of his and Ludwig's old clothes.  
>"They look good on you, Feliciano. I wonder if we have a spare coat for you to use later on when we go out.." he walked down stairs and rummaged in a wardrobe.<br>"Aha!" he stated as he pulled out a dark blue frock coat. "Here we go. I think this might fit you."

Feliciano tried on the coat. The sleeves were a bit too long, but otherwise, the coat fit him well. He smiled at how nice he looked, and that he never had to wear his ragged, patched-up coat anymore. "Veeeee~! I love my new clothes~!" Feliciano said happily, twirling around in his coat.  
>"Gute," Gilbert smiled.<br>"Now, why don't we try to fix up your hair for your date," he winked.

"D-date...?" Feliciano opened his eyes wide in surprise, not expecting Gilbert to mention something like that. Until, his motive to get closer to Ludwig was renewed. "O-oh! Right! Got it!" Feliciano added cheerfully.

"He may not see it as one, nor his relationship with you as much, but he doesn't normally associate himself with people in your social status. No offense intended," he said, "So you must have caught his eye."

He then grinned and stated, "I'll make sure the awesome me will help you two get things rolling!"

Feliciano was glad Gilbert was going to help the relationship. The Italian was wondering exactly where to go caroling, but he finally decided on Florence since he was most familiar with it.

Just after Gilbert finished speaking, Ludwig returned to the house, a light dusting of snow covering his clothes.  
>"Oi, Osten, what are you yelling about now?"<p>

"Oh, nothing, Westen," he grinned. "I'm going to get ready now."

Gilbert then ran upstairs to "get ready" but really just wanted to let the two get some personal time.

Ludwig sighed from his brother's actions.  
>"So, Feliciano, I see you were able to find some clothes. That's good," he smiled a bit, "I was worried none would fit."<br>He walked over to a table to set his papers down that he had to grab before asking, "Have you decided where to go caroling?"

"Firenze~," Feliciano stated. "Because I know I won't get lost there."

"Florence.. Alright," Ludwig responded just as Gilbert ran downstairs.

"We're all ready, ja? Then let's go!" he said, a bit too excitedly, as he pushed Ludwig and Feliciano towards the door. "Wahahaha~!" Feliciano laughed cheerfully, holding onto Ludwig's hand as Gilbert pushed him.

Ludwig blushed a little and walked out of the door. He pulled away so he could get in the car. "Alright, let's go."

"Yaaaay!" Feliciano cheered, quickly hopping in the car and sitting next to Ludwig in the passenger seat. "Come on Gilbert, you come too~" Feliciano urged. He then turned to Ludwig to ask a question.  
>"Can we go to one of those really fancy restaurants, you know, where all the happy couples go?"<p>

Gilbert climbed in the back, and muffled a chuckle.

Ludwig looked back as he backed out. "If we can find one that is not filled, sure," he replied.

"I'm sure we'll find one, ve~! After all, it's Christmas Eve. Everyone's at home~" Feliciano stated, gently turning his head towards Ludwig to stare at him dreamily and affectionately. _Tonight's my last chance..._ Feliciano thought, _...if I am to find love by Christmas..._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Notes: <em>**Mi dispiace for the late update! I promise you, we're almost done, so updates will be much faster!


	7. Broken spirits

**_Summary: _**_For street urchin Feliciano Vargas, it seems Christmas for him will be the same as usual. By some stroke of fate, Feliciano stumbles upon a kind stranger, Ludwig Beilschmidt, who delivers a miracle to the Italian's life- and strange feelings he's never felt before..._

**_Pairing: _**_Ludwig x Feliciano (Germany x N. Italy, AU)_

* * *

><p>Ludwig blushed slightly and drove towards Florence. Gilbert was in the back watching the two, thinking of how he could get the two alone. The roads were still a bit slick from the snow and ice from the previous night, but were better.<p>

As they entered the town, Ludwig found a parking space near a resturaunt. "Okay, so are we eating first or going to carol first, Feliciano?"

"Let's go caroling first!" Feliciano suggested, jumping up and down with excitement. "Maybe you can sing with me, Ludwig! We can harmonize~"  
>"Alright, I can try my best at least," Ludwig agreed, a bit nervous as he did.<p>

Gilbert opened up his door and got out to stretch, he was soon followed by Ludwig.

"Oi," Gilbert whispered to his brother, "Later tonight you should kiss him at midnight, I'm sure he would like that. Kesese~"  
>Ludwig responded with a sigh and a slight blush flushing his face.<br>Feliciano ran out of the car, spinning around in circles and breathing in the fresh winter air. He jumped up and down excitedly, gesturing Ludwig to follow. "Come on, Ludwig~! Let's go caroling~!" he shouted.  
>"Alright! I'm coming!" Ludwig replied back as he got out and locked the car. "You are very excited, I see.."<p>

"Ve~ you don't have to sing if you don't want to. Maybe I can sing the melody and you can sing the harmony!" Feliciano suggested. "And then after we travel a few blocks then we can find a place to eat~" Ludwig nodded in agreement and looked down at Feliciano. "That sounds like a plan. I believe we parked close to a restaurant, so we will eat there when it's time, okay?"

"Okay~!" Feliciano replied. "I can't wait, ve~!" he exclaimed, hugging Ludwig tightly. Ludwig jumped slightly from the sudden hug and blushed a bit, but hugged back. "Hmm... I'm not sure where we should go first..." Feliciano said, letting go of Ludwig. "Maybe the Piazza Santa Croce~? That's where we first met yesterday~" Feliciano reminded Ludwig. "And there's a lovely restaurant nearby, I've never eaten there of course, but the food smells wonderful. It's called 'Osteria De' Benci', I think~" he recalled. Feliciano really did know all the sights in Florence. "Don't worry! You won't get lost when you're with me!"

Ludwig nodded, "Okay. That sounds good." He looked back at Gilbert real quick to suggest going to look into the restaurant, which he did. Gilbert walked ahead of them to find the restaurant.

Feliciano held onto Ludwig's hand, running towards the center of the piazza. "Come on~! Pick up the pace!" he shouted playfully, sort of dragging Ludwig behind. He didn't even notice that he was running much faster than a normal human would, so it was nearly impossible for Ludwig to keep up. Ludwig followed the Italian, keeping up as best he could. "Feliciano! Slow down a bit." "But we're almost there!" Feliciano replied, almost nearing the center of the piazza.

Finally, he skidded to a stop, still holding onto Ludwig's hand. He waited for Ludwig to catch his breath, before giving Ludwig instructions. Ludwig was able to catch his breath rather quickly.  
>"I know you don't speak Italian well, so you don't have to sing the words with me~. You can just sing harmonies with 'ooh' or 'ah' if you want~" Feliciano suggested. "I'm going to sing 'Tu scendi dalle stelle', you probably won't know it..." "I am not familiar with it, but I'll do my best," Ludwig replied.<p>

"Don't worry!" Feliciano assured Ludwig. "You'll do great~! You just need to sing the harmony~."  
>And that was when Feliciano began to sing. His voice was clear and beautiful, just like the times when he sang before. It was pure, angelic, peaceful; almost blissful. The words flowed from his mouth like a stream, like a waterfall forming a rainbow.<p>

_"Tu scendi dalle stelle,_  
><em>O Re del Cielo,<em>  
><em>e vieni in una grotta,<em>  
><em>al freddo al gelo.<em>

Ludwig listened to Feliciano for a bit, and when he felt he understood the song he did his part. He didn't know what he was doing really, and his face became a bit flushed out of nervousness.  
>Why does he want me to do harmony? he thought, My voice must sound odd with his..<p>

_O Bambino mio Divino_  
><em>Io ti vedo qui a tremar,<em>  
><em>O Dio Beato<em>  
><em>Ahi, quanto ti costò<em>  
><em>l'avermi amato!<em>

Ludwig was completely forgetting where they were as they sang, lost in Feliciano's voice.

_A te, che sei del mondo_  
><em>il Creatore,<em>  
><em>mancano panni e fuoco;<em>  
><em>O mio Signore!<em>

Many people began to gather around Ludwig and Feliciano, mostly out of curiosity and wonder. Feliciano nodded in approval towards Ludwig, meaning they were doing a good job. Feliciano's singing was mesmerizing, as if he was caught up in a dream. He was glad Ludwig was singing with him, it added balance that he wasn't able to achieve on his own.

_Caro eletto Pargoletto,_  
><em>Quanto questa povertà<em>  
><em>più mi innamora!<em>  
><em>Giacché ti fece amor<em>  
><em>povero ancora!"<em>

He turned to Ludwig one last time after the song was complete. "Your singing is wonderful, Ludwig," he said sweetly and affectionately. Ludwig closed his eyes and nodded to Feliciano, "Danke." The audience certainly agreed with Feliciano, there was a loud round of applause as the Italian was speaking.

_"Hey, is that-"_

_"Ja, it is. It's Ludwig."_

Feliciano nuzzled Ludwig affectionately before hugging him tightly. "Veeee! That was the most fun I've ever had~!"  
>"I-I'm glad," Ludwig said, surprised from the hug. "But we should go get dinner now, huh?"<br>"Oh, I am getting a bit hungry now..." Feliciano noticed as he rubbed his stomach gently. "Don't worry! We parked right near the restaurant~!"

Once the crowd went down, Gilbert grabbed Ludwig from Feliciano.  
>"Alright, you're doing a good job. But you need to step up your game!"<br>Ludwig nodded to his brother's advice.

As Ludwig had his back turned, a blond haired man wearing a dark trench coat followed by two darkered haired men walked up to Feliciano. The blond haired man cleared his throat, "Your singing was beautiful, mon ami," speaking with a flawless French accent. "I need someone with your ability. Let us walk and talk," he said, gently pulling Feliciano away.

"Vee... okay..." Feliciano had a nervous look on his face. He knew he wouldn't get lost, since he knew the city so well. But these people seemed so... strange. Hopefully it would only be for a short while, since he needed to get back to Ludwig for his dinner date. "I-I'm a little busy right now... it'll be quick, right?" he asked, worried that he would be late.  
>The sun was setting and it was growing colder. As the temperature dropped, the light flurry gracefully falling started to become heavy, almost white-out conditions.<br>"Oh, oui. It won't take long at all~" the blonde replied, leading him towards an ally.

Ludwig suddenly noticed Feliciano was missing. "Bruder, did you happen to notice where Feliciano went?" he asked.  
>"Nein, I did not.." Gilbert said.<p>

Just then, Ludwig noticed two men standing on the corners of buildings.  
>"Osten, I think we have some trouble.."<p>

Once farther down the ally, the blond man stopped and let go of Feliciano.  
>"So what is your affiliation with Ludwig Beilschmidt?" his voice losing the French accent and switching to a heavy German one.<br>"Y-you know Ludwig...?" Feliciano looked confused, and wondered why these strange people were asking him questions. He was also surprised by the change in accent. "W-well we're really good friends," he told the blond man. He didn't feel like revealing his crush on Ludwig to these strangers. The fact that they knew Ludwig comforted and worried Feliciano at the same time. "I-is that all you want to know?" he asked, hoping he would be able to leave.

The man chuckled, slightly evil in tone. "Nein, Sie Stück Müll," he said as he kicked the Italian down roughly. "I want to know if you are the reason Ludwig suddenly had a change of heart."  
>"Uwaaaaahhhh!" Feliciano cried out. "W-what do you mean?" he asked fearfully, shuddering as snowflakes began to cover him. "W-who are you?"<p>

"I thought you quit that group!" Gilbert said sternly.  
>"I did! Before we moved! How did they find me? I even bought a new car."<p>

The blond man smirked and placed his boot-covered foot on top of Feliciano's chest. "We are the Neo-Nazi's. We were doing well at staying hidden until Ludwig decided to reveal us and leave us to be taken down by the police," he snarled. "Now answer this question! Did you cause Ludwig to leave?"

Ludwig and Gilbert cautiously walked towards the ally, acting as if they were looking for a place. When they got close to the two guards, they pulled them to the side and knocked them out.

Feliciano squirmed helplessly, letting out soft cries of pain. "I-I d-don't know... h-he never told me about this... p-please... l-leave me alone!" he cried, trying desperately to escape but to no avail. The snowfall slowly became a blizzard, reducing visibility. All the tourists and citizens in Florence had escaped inside buildings, leaving the streets empty.

"Hmm.. Nein," the blond man chuckled, "I can at least make my statement here."  
>He pulled his knife out of his boot and cut a swastika into Feliciano's cheek.<br>Feliciano cringed as the knife touched his skin. "V-veee..." he shuddered, the blood dripping from his cheek.

Just before the Neo-Nazi plunged the knife into Feliciano's chest, Ludwig kicked him off Feliciano and pulled out a gun he had concealed.  
>"Ich denke nicht, Jaeger," he growled.<p>

Feliciano couldn't even see what was going on around him. The howl of the blizzard muffled the sound. Only his face was visible, he was being buried by snow. His body temperature was slowly dropping.

Gilbert was keeping the guards at gunpoint to make sure they wouldn't interfere.

"Why are you protecting the enemy, you traitor?" Jaeger growled in German.  
>"Because I no longer wish to fight for something so pointless! They lost years ago and they had a whole military. We would have no chance!" Ludwig snapped back in the same language. Jaeger got to his feet and attempted to stab Ludwig out of rage, only to be knocked down unconscious.<p>

Ludwig looked around frantically. "Feliciano?"  
>Feliciano was buried under the snow, hidden to everyone else around him. He couldn't even move at all, the cold had nearly frozen his body. The lack of oxygen was slowly dropping his blood pressure until he lost consciousness.<p>

As his mind drifted through darkness, he thought he could see the faces of his deceased grandfather and his brother, but the images were too faint to be recognized at all.

Ludwig dug around in the snow, eventually finding him.  
>"Hold on, Feli," he whispered. He pulled off his coat and wrapped Feliciano in it, holding him close as he got up.<p>

"Gilbert, knock them unconscious and go cancel the reservation. We are heading home," he said as he walked out of the ally.  
>Gilbert nodded and knocked them both out and followed. "I'll drive this time. You keep him warm."<p>

Feliciano still kept the swastika on his cheek- a permanent reminder of what had happened. His body was chilled as an ice block, as if he had been cryogenically frozen. He wasn't moving, his breathing was unnoticeable, he seemed barely clinging to life. But his face looked somewhat angelic- his eyes closed gently, a small blush on his face, he was even smiling. Although he looked lifeless, he appeared happy at the same time. It was a huge contrast to the severity of the situation- a possibility that Feliciano might never wake up again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>_ Notepad wouldn't let me save accented letters and umlaut but I just copy-pasted them into the document here. Some translations may be wrong so please let me know.

_**Translations:**_

Nein, Sie Stück Müll= "No, you piece of trash" (GERMAN)

Ich denke nicht= "I don't think so" (GERMAN)

"Tu scandi dalle stelle"/"From Starry Skies Thou Comest" (Italian carol)

ENGLISH VERSION

__From starry skies descending_  
><em>Thou comest, glorious King,<em>  
><em>A manger low Thy bed,<em>  
><em>In winter's icy sting;<em>_

___O my dearest Child most holy,_  
><em>Shudd'ring, trembling in the cold!<em>  
><em>Great God, Thou lovest me!<em>  
><em>What suff'ring Thou didst bear<em>  
><em>That I near Thee might be!<em>__

____Thou art the world's Creator,_  
><em>God's own and true Word,<em>  
><em>Yet here no robe, no fire,<em>  
><em>For thee, Divine Lord<em>___

____Dearest, fairest, sweetest Infant  
><em>Dire this state of poverty.<em>  
><em>The more I care for Thee,<em>  
><em>Since Thou, o Love Divine<em>  
><em>Will'st now so poor to be.<em>____


	8. Merriest Christmas

**_Summary: _**_For street urchin Feliciano Vargas, it seems Christmas for him will be the same as usual. By some stroke of fate, Feliciano stumbles upon a kind stranger, Ludwig Beilschmidt, who delivers a miracle to the Italian's life- and strange feelings he's never felt before..._

**_Pairing: _**_Ludwig x Feliciano (Germany x N. Italy, AU)_

* * *

><p>Once in the car, Gilbert turned on the car and cranked the heater and pulled off his coat to help. "Come on, Feliciano.." Ludwig whispered. He helped him against his chest to share his warmth.<p>

Feliciano still wasn't moving. The warmth, though great, was still not enough for him to regain consciousness. It seemed as though nothing would wake him up. Hopefully, there was still a way for Feliciano to open his eyes again. The atmosphere was apprehensive, giving everyone a sense of dread, as if there was a time limit to find the means of waking up Feliciano.

Ludwig closed his eyes and whispered a small prayer and held Feliciano's hand before performing mouth to mouth recesitation as best as he could in the car.  
><em>Please wake up, Feliciano!<em> he thought.

Gilbert continued to drive as best as he could through the heavy white out conditions.

The blizzard grew more intense as time passed. There weren't many cars on the road, no one would dare to drive through a blizzard. Feliciano still remained unmoved and frozen, his body limp and frail. Though the blizzard howled, the sound of church bells ringing could be heard. They appeared to be ringing in unison, the sound growing louder with every second passing. It was starting to overcome the blizzard's howling. The wind was at its strongest, it was beginning to slow down the car, as if to a stop. Snow was covering the window, and the windshield wipers couldn't push it off fast enough. Visibility was at near zero. Yet, there was still the hopeful ringing of church bells in the background.

The clock read, 11:59. It was almost Christmas Day, and Feliciano was still lying unconscious.

Gilbert cursed under his breath and pulled the car over to stop, unable to even notice the lights.

_Wake up, bitte, Feliciano,_ Ludwig prayed once again and passionately kissed Feliciano.

_Ich liebe dich..._ he said inside his head and held Feliciano's limp body close, holding back tears and cursing himself for his past coming back to harm his lover.

It wasn't that noticeable, but Feliciano's eyes began to flutter slightly. His blood pressure was still low, but his heart rate was slowly returning to normal. He wasn't fully awake yet, but he felt the warmth of Ludwig's body all around him, sending sparks through his body. Feliciano slowly eased into the kiss, his arms still frozen in place but warming up as the kiss continued. As the kiss grew more passionate, Feliciano's eyes opened more, and his bodily state returned to what it once was. At that very moment, he deepened the kiss, hugging Ludwig as tightly as possible, a waterfall of tears falling down his face.

Ludwig blushed and kept the kiss going until he needed to breathe.  
>"F-Feliciano.." Ludwig smiled and embraced the Italian again, a rebellious tear tolling down his cheek.<br>"Don't ever scare me like that again.." he whispered in his ear.

Gilbert looked back in the mirror and smiled. "Hmm?" he noticed the snow started lightening up and started off again.

Feliciano smiled his brightest smile, the last of his tears drying up. He looked into Ludwig's bright blue eyes warmly and gratefully. "Buon Natale, amore mio!" he said excitedly, giving Ludwig an even more passionate kiss and putting all of his energy and love into it. It was truly the perfect Christmas kiss.

Ludwig kissed back, trying not to be overwhelmed by Feliciano's energy, and smiled when the kiss broke.  
>"Frohe Weihnachten, mein liebe," he said before continuing the kiss.<br>"Hey! Save it for the bedroom you two!" Gilbert stated, glaring into the rearview mirror.

The church bells rang loudly and joyfully as the blizzard died down. Even though there was almost 3 feet of snow, Feliciano still managed to make light out of the situation, clearly oblivious to Gilbert's comment. "Looks like we're having a white Christmas this year, Ludwig~!" he shouted cheerfully, cuddling up close to Ludwig to absorb more warmth. He then felt a small tingling sensation on his cheek. As he went over to feel it, his fingers rubbed over the swastika cut in his skin. He was immediately reminded of the terrifying experience.

"B-but Ludwig... who were those strange people? W-why did they go after me?" he asked. He wanted to talk about something more cheerful but he had to know exactly what went on.

Ludwig's eyes darkened as he gently ran his fingers over the scratch. _I really hope that doesn't scar,_ he thought before replying.

"The blond man, Jaeger, was my wing man when I still lived in Germany. We were killing immigrants and others we considered 'undesireable'." He looked past Feliciano, ashamed by his past, "I left, not wanting to be a part of it anymore.." he paused a moment.  
>"He must have supposed that either you were the cause since he saw you with me or just to let out some anger."<p>

"W-why didn't you tell me this...?" Feliciano asked, worried. "A-are they going to hurt me again?" He hugged Ludwig tighter, burying his face into the German's warm, muscular chest.

"I didn't think they would find me," Ludwig sighed. "But I won't let them lay another hand on you." He gently rubbed Feliciano's back to comfort him.

"A-and I really wished I could have eaten at the restaurant with you. But I got to enjoy something better..." Feliciano said affectionately. "Baciami ancora, per favore~?"

Ludwig smiled and lifted Feliciano's chin gently, pulling him into a deep, passionate kiss.

Feliciano returned the kiss, even more passionate than the last. Even though he thought it was a bit awkward to be kissing in the car, he went along with it anyway, knowing no one was on the road.

"Hey! What did I say earlier?" Gilbert yelled. Ludwig blushed and looked away from his brother.

Of course, there was _always_ Gilbert.

_**END**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>_ Yaaaay happy ending! There's a fluffy epilogue, so keep watch!

_**Translations:**_

Bitte= "please" (GERMAN)

Ich liebe dich= "I love you" (GERMAN)

Buon Natale, amore mio= "Merry Christmas, my love" (ITALIAN)

Frohe Weihnachten, mein liebe= "Merry Christmas, my love" (GERMAN)

Baciami ancora, per favore= "Kiss me again, please" (ITALIAN)


	9. Epilogue

**_Summary: _**_For street urchin Feliciano Vargas, it seems Christmas for him will be the same as usual. By some stroke of fate, Feliciano stumbles upon a kind stranger, Ludwig Beilschmidt, who delivers a miracle to the Italian's life- and strange feelings he's never felt before..._

**_Pairing: _**_Ludwig x Feliciano (Germany x N. Italy, AU)_

* * *

><p>Gilbert pulled up to the house and parked the car. Without a word he left the two and went upstairs.<br>_My work here is done~_ he smirked to himself.

Ludwig led Feliciano into the kitchen and set him down on a chair as he tended the cut on his face. He really didn't want the cut to scar and "brand" him as someone to be taken down by other members. "This may sting a bit," he said as he gently wiped the excess blood away before placing a bandage over top.

Feliciano cringed, but the pain he felt was short and quick. After the bandage was placed, the pain faded away. He smiled thankfully, truly grateful. "G-grazie... I-I'm sorry all of this had to happen... I really wished we could have gone to the restaurant, but..." he paused, looking into Ludwig's eyes. "...I'm already happy. The kisses we shared... they were all I really wanted."

Ludwig blushed from the statement and nodded. "I-I'm glad you're happy." He got quiet for a moment, staring sweetly into Feliciano's eyes. "I never knew I could feel this way about anyone..." he admitted, before kissing Feliciano again. "Ich liebe dich..."

Tears of happiness fell down Feliciano's face as Ludwig kissed him. "Nnnh... ti amo..." he replied, extending the kiss for a moment. After breaking the short but sweet kiss, he ran into the living room, taking off his shirt and jumping onto the sofa. "Luuuudwig~! Cuddle with meee!"

Ludwig blushed a bit more and followed him to the living room. "Do y-you really need to take your shirt off?" he asked, sitting down next to him anyway.

"Veee~ it's more comfortable that way!" Feliciano explained. "Come on, you take off your shirt too~" he requested, his voice playful. "Do you need help?" he asked, gently grabbing the bottom of Ludwig's shirt. "I can help you take it off if you want!" Ludwig's face turned bright red."N-nein! I-it's okay. Really!" He pulled his shirt off himself.

Feliciano tenderly caressed Ludwig's cheeks before planting a kiss on the German's forehead. He then gently wrapped his arms around Ludwig, absorbing the warmth of the skin-to-skin contact. Ludwig shivered a little and wrapped his arms around Feliciano. He kissed the Italian's curl and rubbed his back. Feliciano let out a soft moan that was almost inaudible, reacting to the kiss on his curl. He shuddered slightly, but brushed it off; he was enjoying the warmth and closeness.

Ludwig smiled and kissed the curl again. He held Feliciano close and gently closed his soft blue eyes.

A light blush formed on Feliciano's face as he fluttered his eyes. He nuzzled Ludwig's warm, muscular chest, sighing with pleasure. "Veee~ I want to stay like this forever, Ludwig~" he said affectionately, hoping Gilbert didn't come downstairs and catch them during their alone time, _with their shirts off,_ for that matter...

Gilbert walked downstairs suddenly, looking for something, and saw the two on the couch.  
>"Alright, that's it! I don't care how bad the roads are, I'm going to Francis's house! Don't expect me back until next week!" he said as he grabbed the car keys and left.<p>

Ludwig couldn't help but chuckle at his brother. "It looks like we can at least stay like this for the rest of the night," he smiled.

Feliciano chuckled, curling up and gently rubbing his head against Ludwig's bare chest to get himself comfortable.

"Good enough for me!~" Feliciano replied cheerfully, before immersing himself in pure comfort and passion as he kissed Ludwig on the lips deeply. Beautiful, warm sunrays came through the window, enveloping Ludwig and Feliciano's bodies as their kiss grew more passionate than it had ever been.

* * *

><p><em>About 20 years ago, two children were forced to depart. One child had slicked back blonde hair and icy blue eyes, and the other child had bright amber eyes and auburn hair... and a strange curl sticking out.<em>

_The one kiss they shared before they left was not a goodbye kiss. It was a promise they would meet again someday._

* * *

><p>A familiar, childlike voice called out to Ludwig after they broke the kiss, Feliciano staring affectionately into the German's eyes.<p>

_"Ti amo per sempre, Ludi..."_

"Ich liebe dich auch," he whispered to the small voice as he kissed Feliciano again, mimicking the kiss they shared that day.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Notes:<em>** Yaaay! It's finally finished! I just had to throw in something about HRE at the end! I really hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed roleplaying it! Please read some of my other stories. Me and my Germany have a new one on the way, it's going to be WW2-centered with a bit of sadism and lots of angst!

_**Translations:**_

Ti amo per sempre= "I love you forever" (ITALIAN)


End file.
